Tiger Woods said on Tuesday he is confident his body can hold up under the rigors of links golf this week as he bids for a 16th major title at the British Open.

"It's a fun story," Woods started while joking about Brooks Koepka ignoring his request for a practice round, so that he could try to find out the secret behind the current world number one's major success ahead of the championship.

"I asked if we could play a practice round... I haven't heard back," Tiger Woods said.

The 43-year-old, who capped one of sport's greatest-ever comebacks with victory at the Masters in April, will be playing in just his fourth tournament since winning the green jacket.

Cold and wet weather are expected for all four days as the British Open returns to Northern Ireland and Royal Portrush for the first time since 1951. Woods' troublesome back could come under extra strain.

But he was keen to point out tricky conditions may also play into his hands, as they did for Tom Watson when he lost in a playoff to Stewart Cink at the age of 59 at Turnberry in 2009, and Greg Norman when he finished third at Birkdale in 2008 aged 53.

"It's just part of, unfortunately, dealing with the procedures I've had, and being a little bit older," said Woods, who returned to elite golf in December 2017 after spinal fusion surgery.

"It just doesn't move quite as fast when it's a little bit cooler.

"But the great thing is playing in an Open Championship, you can do it. Look what Tom did at Turnberry, what Greg did at Birkdale. The golf course is fast enough, even if you don't have the speed to carry the ball.

"You just have to navigate the bunkers and navigate around the golf course. And that's true. It is understanding how to play an Open Championship."

Woods' fifth Masters triumph was his first major victory since the 2008 U.S. Open, but the success relaunched his bid to chase down Jack Nicklaus' record tally of 18 titles.

Meanwhile, Koepka said on Tuesday having Portrush local Ricky Elliott on the bag for this week's British Open gives him "more confidence".

Koepka arrived in Northern Ireland having won two of his last four major appearances, while finishing runner-up in the other two.

The 29-year-old, who claimed his fourth major title at the PGA Championship in May, will be expecting to improve on his previous best British Open finish of tied-sixth.

Despite having never visited Northern Ireland before, the American is not having too many difficulties getting to grips with the Royal Portrush layout, as Elliot has known the course inside out.

"I definitely have a little bit more confidence having him on the bag this week, knowing this golf course so well. But I'm looking forward to it," said Koepka.

"Every hole I just step up on, 'You tell me what to do, you've played it more than anybody'.

"So just let him figure it out. He knows his spots to miss it. The spots to come in from, with different hole locations and different winds."

Woods is now ranked fifth in the world, but has not threatened at either of the last two majors, won by Koepka and Gary Woodland, respectively.